The Art of Being a Captain
by A Million Shades Of Blue
Summary: A collection of one-shots about Rex and being the captain of the 501st Legion. Some are happy, some are sad... some are fluffy, some are dark... Rex has got a lot of things on his plate.
Hello, and welcome to "The Art of Being a Captain"! These are just going to be some Rex-centered one-shots. Some will be light and fluffy, and some will be dark and sad. I don't really have a schedule for updating this, although I might, I don't really know yet. Anyways... enjoy!

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 **SLEEPING... OR LACK THEREOF**

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Rex paced back and forth. He was exhausted, yet somehow unable to sleep. He'd been trying to write a detailed report on the last mission for hours, and had been less than satisfied with the results. The reason it was taking so long was because Kix kept trying to get him to listen to the latest Sy Snootles album, over and over, even though Rex kept trying to get him to stop. That nasally voice certainly didn't help his concentration. He was also supposed to come up with some new offensive strategies for the pilots to use, take inventory, eat, and fit some training into his overpacked schedule. He wondered if anyone noticed that he was human and needed more than two hours of sleep each night.

Rex finally decided that the report was as good as it was going to get. He groggily opened the door and shuffled down the hallway to give it to General Skywalker. He somehow ended up taking a wrong turn in his exhaustedness, even though he'd been working on cruisers like this his whole life, and ended up in the dark, empty, cavernous mess hall. Rex shrugged and entered, thinking that some caf might help him get through the long night.

He watched the hot brown liquid pour into his cup, only half-awake. He walked around the mess, trying to decide where to sit, although it didn't really matter. He noticed that the light was on in the corner. And sitting at the table was Ahsoka, sipping her own cup of caf, eyes glazed with fatigue. Rex made his way over and sat down.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Oh… hey, Rex," Ahsoka sighed. "I'm just tired… and stressed."

"Me too," Rex told her. "I just finished writing a report, and I was going to turn it in, but I ended up here instead." He took a sip of his caf.

"I have _so much_ to do," Ahsoka said. "I have studies, training with Anakin, learning how to use the Force, planning for battles, actually fighting in battles… sometimes I wonder how long this war is going to go on."

"I wonder about what we're going to do when it's over," Rex said. "I mean… I'm a clone. My only purpose is to be a soldier. What use are we when there's no war to fight?"

"Same for me. What do us peacekeepers do when there's already peace? Sit around in the Temple all day meditating?" Ahsoka yawned. "Boring. Although battles aren't much fun, either."

"I thought you would prefer fighting to just sitting there," Rex said, slightly surprised. He didn't think Ahsoka could sit still for more than five minutes.

"But so many people die in battles," Ahsoka said. "Innocent people. Friends… brothers." She looked at Rex. "It must be especially hard for you…"

Rex sighed. "It is. Every time I see a brother shot down… it's like a little part of me dies, too. And then… when you're sitting right in front of them while they're dying… and they're just slipping away, and there's nothing you can do…" Rex took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He put his head in his hands on the table.

"I know," Ahsoka said quietly. Rex felt her put her arms around him gently.

"When will it end, Ahsoka?" he asked. "I just want it to be over. No one else should have to die."

"Yeah… sometimes I wish I just had a normal life. No war, no commitment to the Jedi Order… it would be nice. And what are we fighting for, really?" Ahsoka yawned again. "What's so bad about the Separatists?"

"Woah, I think you're getting a bit too tired there, kid," Rex said. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

"Maybe you should, too," Ahsoka told him, standing up. Rex rose from the table as well, walking towards the mess hall's exit with Ahsoka.

"See you tomorrow, Rex," Ahsoka said as she turned left towards her quarters, and Rex turned right, heading for the barracks.

He walked in silence, eventually reaching the barracks door. He lifted his hand to open the door and jolted when he realized he'd left the report in the mess. As he stepped over the threshold, Rex decided to get it the next day. He vaguely wondered how many next days he'd have. After all, he was a clone trooper, and bound to die someday. If the Seps didn't get him, the accelerated aging would. Either way, he had less time than most.

Rex kept morbidly thinking about this concept as he took his armor off and got into his bunk. As he closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound of Kix quietly humming Sy Snootles, his mind wandered back to what Ahsoka had said earlier. _What are we fighting for, really?_

Maybe some people knew, but Rex sure didn't. He tried to figure something out, but his thoughts kept getting jumbled, and he finally drifted off to sleep, if only for a little while.


End file.
